Lavender Mint Tea

• 1 teaspoon fresh lavender flowers or 1/2 teaspoon dried lavender flowers

• 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves or 2 teaspoons dried mint 1 cup boiling water

• In a teapot, combine the lavender flowers and mint. Pour boiling water over the mixture; steep 5 minutes. Yield: 1 cup.

Variation: For more interesting blends, add rosemary, lemon balm or lemon verbena, and rose geranium.

Three ways to Make Iced Tea

• Brewed Tea. Make tea approximately double strength and steep only 5 minutes. Pour into a pitcher over an equal amount of ice. (If you are using a glass pitcher, let the tea cool before pouring it in.) If you sweeten the tea while it is hot, you’ll need only half as much sugar.

• Refrigerator Tea. Follow the procedure for sun tea, except let the mixture brew in the refrigerator overnight. This method has two advantages: When it’s done, it’s already cold, and no matter how long it sits, it doesn’t get cloudy.

• Sun Tea. In a glass jar or pitcher, place 1 teaspoon of loose tea or 1 tea bag per pint or tap water (with sugar, if you wish). Cover and set in the sun for 1 hour or so. Timing is not critical - because the water doesn’t boil, the tea will not get bitter.